Cranberry Focaccia

Chef mariajane's Note:

What a delicious focaccia this is - the taste is so wonderful with the cranberries, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did -

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 14 slices

DOUGH

• ½ cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 (11 ml) envelope fleichman's instant quick-rising yeast
• 2⁄3; cup Carnation Evaporated Milk (regular 2% or fat-free)
• ¼ cup warm water
• ¼ cup butter , melted
• ¼ cup brown sugar , packed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 ¼ cups robin hood best for bread homestyle white flour
• 1 cup dried cranberries

TOPPING

• 2 tablespoons butter , melted
• ¼ cup coarse sugar

Directions:

1. DOUGH: Combine warm water and sugar in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in next 7 ingredients. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, stirring to combine. Stir in additional flour a bit at a time to make a soft dough. Knead 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface or 5 minutes in a mixer on low speed.
3. Place dough in a lightly buttered or oiled large bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap amnd let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Punch dough down on a lightly floured surface. Knead in cranberries. Shape into a flat round about 8-inches in diameter. Place on a parhment-lined baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F
6. TOPPING: Gently brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.
8. If you are not serving right away, wrap focaccia well in foil and freeze in a plastic freezer bag. When ready to serve, defrost on counter,. Place in preheated 375F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until warm.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

Although I followed the recipe most of the way, I did use a very generous measure of the dried cranberries, & we found this focaccia to be ABSOLUTELY GREAT! Had intended on sharing it with my son & DIL, but they were a little late coming around, & within 24 hours, 2 of us had managed to devour most of it! Definitely a keeper recipe! [Tagged, made & reviewed as part of my theme, Bread, Be It Ever So Humble!, in the current My 3 Chefs event]